Abstract: Interpolation of the momentum transfer prior to the filtered backprojection reconstruction in computer tomography baggage inspection or medical applications may not result in best image quality or minimal computational cost. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a non-linear energy binning of an energy-resolved single-row detector is provided, which automatically leads to a Cartesian q-sampling on a parallel rebinned detector. This may avoid the q interpolation prior to the filtered back projection reconstruction, resulting in improved spatial resolution, reduction of computational effort and improved image quality.

Abstract: An audio encoder comprising optimizing means ET OPT adapted to generate an optimized encoding template OET based on properties PV of an input audio signal IN, such as in form of a property vector. The optimized encoding template OET is being optimized with respect to a predetermined encoding efficiency criterion. Encoding means ENC then generates an encoded audio signal OUT in accordance with the optimized encoding template OET. The audio encoder may comprise analyzing means AN adapted to generate the set of input signal properties PV based of the input signal IN. In a preferred embodiment the optimizing means ET OPT is adapted to estimate a resulting distortion associated with an encoding template. The optimizing means ET OPT may further be able to estimate bit rate associated with an encoding template. In one embodiment the optimizing means ET OPT is adapted to optimize a bit rate distribution to a number of sub-encoders based on the input signal properties (PV).

Abstract: A temperature control system for a frame (20) including a thermal electric cooling (TEC) element (32) having a first face (34) and a second face (36), the TEC element (32) disposed to form a gap (50) between the first face (34) and the frame (20), and a fluid heat transfer element (38) thermally connected to the second face (36). The temperature control system also employs a thermal group, a flushable reservoir, and/or a phase change element, as desired.

Abstract: A method for at least reducing the occurrence of differential ghosting in an X-ray image acquired in respect of a subject, wherein a deghost scan is performed at least once daily so as to generate an underlying strong homogeneous ghost so that further differential (non-homogeneous) ghosting during subsequent scans is minimised. The deghost scan comprises acquiring an ‘air’ image, when no subject is present between the X-ray source (4) and detector (5), as a relatively high detector dose.

Abstract: A system for distribution of data comprising: a transmitting device (100) arranged to transmit data comprising plurality of services, each service being transmitted on one of a plurality of channels (210, 220, 230, etc.); a plurality of receiving devices (110, 120, 130, etc.) arranged to receive said data and to select a service from the plurality of services, characterized by: the receiving device (110) being arranged to receive auxiliary data (340) comprising information (310 and 320) about the service and an identification of one channel from said plurality of channels (330 or 335) on which said service is transmitted; the receiving device (110) being arranged to change to the channel according to the auxiliary data (340) to receive the desired service corresponding to said channel. Also the methods of transmitting and receiving the distributed data.

Abstract: An optimizing of a gain in a servo control loop (21) of an optical drive is performed for the control of an actuator for focusing and tracking a laser beam (10) for reading or writing data from/to optical discs (1), wherein the actuator is controlled by a servo controller (20) in the control loop (21), by means of an algorithm performing the steps: predetermining a reference oscillation level for the servo control loop (21), iteratively checking if a power output from the control loop (21) used as an dissipation level value is less than the reference oscillation level, increasing the gain in the servo control loop in each iteration step until said dissipation level value is equal to or greater than the reference oscillation level and then decreasing the gain in the control loop by a margin value.

Abstract: A method for setting an optimum value of a write power level for use in an optical recording apparatus for writing information on a recording layer (3) of an optical recording medium (1) by means of a radiation beam (5) is described. The recording layer is able to change between an amorphous and a crystalline state. The apparatus comprises a radiation source (4) for emitting the radiation beam (5) having a controllable value of a write power level (Pw) for recording information on the recording medium, a control unit (12) for recording a series of test patterns in a test area on the recording layer, each pattern being recorded with a different value of the write power level, a read unit (90) for reading the patterns and forming corresponding read signal portions, and first means (10, 101, 102) for deriving a value of a read parameter from at least one read signal portion and setting an optimum value (Popt) of the write power level based on the values of this read parameter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing a portable storage medium (10,20) and a stamping unit (70) for producing such a portable storage medium (10,20), for enabling reading data at a high data rate and writing data. The portable storage medium (10,20) for storing data, is further insertable in a data reading and/or writing device, comprises a data portion (12,22), wherein the data portion (12,22) comprises a first division comprising a group (32,418,54,64) of essentially parallel transversely separated first tracks (36,39,408), wherein said first tracks (36,39,408) have a first format, and a second division comprising a second track (33,52,62) of a second format, wherein the group (32,418,54,64) of essentially parallel transversely separated first tracks (36,39,408) has a parallel format, so as to enable parallel reading of content at a high data rate.

Abstract: First and second data is transmitted simultaneously by modulating a first set of signal constellation points, corresponding to the first data, with second data thereby creating a second set of constellation points. The second set of constellation points comprises two subsets corresponding to two values of the first data. The constellation points are selected such that the minimum distance between the first and second subsets is not less than the minimum distance between the constellation points of the first set of constellation points.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a collection of variable focus lenses comprising two electrodes (21, 22) and a fluid chamber filled with two fluids which are separated by a meniscus, wherein the shape of the meniscus is variable under the influence of a voltage, comprises the following steps: providing an electrically insulating body (60) having a plurality of through-holes (14, 65); applying electrically conducting material to a surface of the body (60) in order to obtain the electrodes (21, 22); covering at least one of the obtained electrodes (21, 22) by a layer of electrically insulating material; covering an inner surface of a part of the through-holes (14) with a hydrophobic material; partially sealing these through-holes (14); arranging the fluids inside the partially sealed through-holes (14); completely sealing the through-holes (14); and dividing the body (60) into portions, such that each portion constitutes a complete lens.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing clock synchronization of 1394 buses having wireless devices utilizing 802.11 communication with computers attached to one or more 1394 buses, include the steps of synchronizing an internal time base of a wireless master device attached to a first bus by receiving a Software Beacon Alert that indicates a time of a subsequent transmission, and applying the Software Beacon Alert to a first phase-lock loop circuit associated with the master device to create a filtered Software Beacon Alert. The first phase-lock loop circuit is unsymmetrical about zero error. A timing message is transmitted from the master device to a second phase-lock loop circuit associated with at least one slave device. The timing message must be sent to the at least one slave device before the master device receives a subsequent Software Beacon Alert message, so that the wireless master device and the at least one slave device are synchronized, even though they are on different buses.

Abstract: A medical ventilator includes a pressure generator for increasing a pressure of gas that produces heat during the operation thereof. A heat sink spaced from the pressure generator is provided for absorbing heat from the pressure generator. A bacteria filter requiring heating in excess of an ambient temperature for the effective operation thereof is coupled in thermal communication with the heat sink. A heat pipe is coupled in thermal communication with the heat sink and the pressure generator for conveying at least part of heat produced by the pressure generator to the bacteria filter via the heat sink.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe for three dimensional scanning includes a one-dimensional array transducer which is mechanically swept back and forth. As the array transducer is swept in one direction the array scans a volumetric region with image planes which are alternately scanned in opposite beam scanning directions to scan the volumetric region in a zigzag pattern. As the array transducer is swept in the opposite direction the volumetric region is again scanned with image planes of alternating beam scanning directions to again scan the volumetric region in a zigzag pattern. In a preferred embodiment the image planes scanned in one sweep direction intersect the centers of the image planes scanned in the other sweep direction, and the image planes of each sweep are approximately joined at their lateral edges.

Abstract: A gas discharge lamp is driven using a high frequency lamp current. A lamp driving circuit comprises a high frequency bridge circuit for supplying said lamp current. To prevent the lamp from extinguishing, when the lamp voltage is lower than a predetermined lamp operation voltage, a resonant circuit is provided in the lamp driving circuit between the lamp and the high frequency bridge circuit. The frequency of the bridge circuit is selected such that the resonant circuit may resonate to sweep up the voltage supplied to the gas discharge lamp to a voltage higher than said lamp operation voltage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an iterative image reconstruction uses two or more processors (130). The reconstruction task is distributed among the various processors (130). In one embodiment, the projection space data (300) is distributed among the processors (130). In another embodiment, the object space (200) is distributed among the processors (130).

Abstract: Coding (1) of an audio signal is provided including estimating (110) a position of a transient signal component in the audio signal, matching (111,112) a shape function on the transient signal component in case the transient signal component is gradually declining after an initial increase, which shape function has a substantially exponential initial behavior and a substantially logarithmic declining behavior; and including (15) the position and shape parameters describing the shape function in an audio stream (AS).

Abstract: A sensor includes a substrate 1 and at least one resonator, which includes an acoustic reflector 2, a piezoelectric layer 5, a first and second electrode 3, 4 placed on the same side of the piezoelectric layer 5, and a sensing layer 6. The sensing layer 6 reacts with a chemical or biological agent by absorption, adsorption, desorption or chemical reaction. As a result the individual frequency of a resonator changes and conclusions about the agent can be drawn. Such a sensor is very sensitive to an agent being sensed, especially when used in liquids.

Abstract: A ceramic gas tight high-pressure burner includes an ionizable filling. The burner further includes a discharge vessel having a discharge cavity with a volume in the range of 3 mm3 to 30 mm 3, and an internal filling pressure of the discharge cavity in the range from 0.1 MPa to 4 MPa at room temperature. An end closure of the burner may be designed as a three-part, a two-part or a one-part end closure device with a reduced crevice.

Abstract: Methods, frameworks and systems for validating DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) SR (Structured Reporting) XML (Extensible Markup Language) documents against DICOM SR templates, using XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) technology alone or as a complement to XML Schema, are disclosed. A framework of generating XSLT stylesheets from XML representation of DICOM SR templates is developed. Also a mechanism and method of automatic generating XSLT stylesheets for validating SR document contents are provided. In addition, a mechanism and method of flexibly adapting in different DICOM SR XML formats is provided.

Abstract: An adjustable phantom (36) includes a base (202), an actuator (204) and a phantom (210). The phantom includes first (210a) and second portions (210b), each having a different value of a physical characteristic measured by a scanner (10). The phantom (210) is movable with respect to the base (202). In one embodiment, the phantom is well suited to simulating the arrival of contrast agent in a contrast enhanced imaging examination.